Broccoli could protect against radiation sickness

Good news for the broccoli-lovers. A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, looked at the protective qualities of 3,3’-diindolylmethane, or DIM and found it to protect mice and rats from otherwise lethal doses of radiation.

Rats in the study were given lethal doses of gamma ray radiation. Then, they were treated with DIM injections for two weeks, beginning only minutes after the radiation. All of the rats who were not treated with DIM died, but 60% of those treated with DIM survived 30 days after the exposure.

The relationship of this study with broccoli is that DIM is produced naturally in the stomach after people eat cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cabbage.

Previous studies have already demonstrated that the vegetables in the cruciferous family are beneficial to prevent some cancer types, such as prostate and lung. They are also deemed to reduce occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.